The present invention relates to a crash apparatus, in particular a crash box in a motor vehicle, having a deformation body which absorbs energy in case of crash, and to a motor vehicle equipped with such a crash apparatus.
To avoid damage to a vehicle structure of a motor vehicle in the event of a front or rear impact at low velocities, crash apparatuses, so-called crash boxes, are typically situated between a vehicle longitudinal girder and a bumper cross member. Crash boxes of this type are preferably thin-walled and typically rectangular elements made of metal or plastic and, in the event of a front or rear impact on the vehicle, convert the kinetic energy resulting from the impact into deformation work, to prevent a critical load level, at which the longitudinal girder may be permanently damaged, from being exceeded.
A crash apparatus according to the species having an oblong deformation body is described in DE 103 21 766 A1. The known crash apparatus is provided with openings which are to even out the force curve occurring in case of a crash over the deformation distance. The deformation body is assembled from two U-shaped shell bodies, with the openings being provided along the longitudinal edges of the deformation profile.
A vehicle bumper bar and/or vehicle bumper configuration is shown in DE 102 20 633 A1 and has a support bracket in the form of a molded multistep tubular construction having multiple plastically deformable linear tubular parts of various external diameters. These tubular parts adjoin one another and may be pushed one into another to absorb energy, by which the kinetic energy occurring in case of a crash may be converted into deformation work.
A device for impact energy absorption in motor vehicles having a box profile in sheet-metal construction is shown in DE 199 59 701 A1. This known box profile is implemented having a conical expansion in the introduction direction of a force to be absorbed so that when it is compressed by the force to be absorbed, the deformed material essentially accumulates in folds within the cross-section of the remaining deformation length of the box profile.
Finally, a lateral frame structure having a two-shell crash element is shown in DE 196 35 285 A1. One shell is implemented as longer than the other shell in the deformation direction of the crash element so that a stepped deformation behavior results in case of crash.
An object of the present invention is to provide an improved or alternative crash apparatus that allows simple mounting.
This object has been achieved with the recognition of assembling a crash apparatus having a deformation body which absorbs energy in case of crash from two half shells, with flanges projecting outward being situated on each of the two half shells, via which the two half shells are connected fixed to one another. The deformation body of the crash apparatus is formed as an oblong hollow profile and has beads running transversely to the main deformation direction, which are also found in the outwardly projecting flanges of the half shells. The beads in the flanges form a boundary for contact surfaces lying between the beads, and the two half shells of the deformation body exclusively press against one another via the contact surfaces lying between the beads of the flanges and also exclusively are connected to one another via these contact surfaces. The flanges on the two half shells make mounting of the deformation body easier, because they provide a predefined connection surface, namely the contact surfaces, for connecting the two half shells. The two half shells are preferably connected to one another via spot welds which lie in the contact surfaces. In addition, easy positioning and/or orientation of the two half shells to one another is achievable through the flanges according to the invention, resulting in increased quality of the deformation body to be produced.
The beads of the flanges of the two half shells expediently lie opposite when the crash box is mounted, i.e., when the deformation body is mounted. This offers the advantage that a deformation behavior of the deformation body is uniquely determinable and thus settable by the precisely predetermined location of the beads. Simultaneously, the opposing beads of the two half shells offer a visual check for the mounting which is easy to perform, because the beads of both half shells must lie opposite when the half shells are positioned perfectly to one another.
In a further advantageous embodiment for achieving the object of the present invention, the crash apparatus has a bulkhead element running transversely to the main deformation direction of the deformation body, on which element a front face of the deformation body is fixed. This bulkhead element, implemented as a bulkhead plate, for example, causes a uniform load introduction of the impact forces acting on the deformation body in case of crash into a vehicle longitudinal girder of the motor vehicle. Simultaneously, the bulkhead element according to the present invention offers the great advantage of making mounting of the deformation body on a vehicle longitudinal girder easier, because it does not have to be fastened directly on its front face to the vehicle longitudinal girder. Instead it can be indirectly fastened via the bulkhead element, on which holes for a screw fastening for easy mounting may be provided.
In a yet further advantageous embodiment, the bulkhead element has a depression/embossing adapted to the front cross-sectional shape of the deformation body. A depression of this type makes positioning the deformation body on the bulkhead element before assembly easier and ensures an exactly predefined and uniquely oriented relative position between the bulkhead element and the deformation body. Simultaneously, a depression/embossing of this type also offers the advantage of easier connection between the bulkhead element and the deformation body, because welding may be performed significantly more easily along a depression/embossing edge.
The two half shells are expediently welded to one another on their contact surfaces, in particular connected to one another via spot welds. Spot welds of this type offer the great advantage of only causing a slight introduction of heat into the two half shells of the deformation body because spot welding produces significantly less deformation and/or warping than with other types of welding. The dimensional precision of the deformation body to be produced may thus be increased by spot welding of this type.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.